Fifty of the more than 300 students abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State have escaped and reunited with their families, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed on Sunday. According to CAN, the pupils managed to flee between Friday and Saturday.
The abduction occurred in the early hours of Friday when armed men stormed the school, seizing 303 students and 12 teachers—surpassing the number of victims recorded in the 2014 Chibok schoolgirl kidnapping. Police said the attackers arrived around 2:00 a.m. local time and targeted students housed in the boarding facilities. Security forces have since launched intensive operations in nearby forests to rescue those still in captivity.
Following the incident, the Niger State government ordered the immediate closure of all schools, accusing the institution of ignoring earlier directives to suspend boarding activities due to security threats. The school has yet to respond to the order.
The attack marks the third mass abduction in Nigeria within a week. Earlier, more than 20 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a boarding school in Kebbi State, while a church attack in Kwara State left two people dead and 38 others abducted.
In response to the escalating insecurity, President Bola Tinubu has postponed his foreign engagements, including the G20 summit in South Africa, to address the deteriorating situation at home.
The surge in kidnappings has heightened public concern over the activities of armed gangs commonly referred to as bandits. Despite a government ban on ransom payments, the attacks have continued. While some international observers suggest the recent abductions may be targeting Christians, the government insists that terrorists attack victims indiscriminately Muslims, Christians, and non-religious individuals alike.
